In this Christmas season when children seem especially precious, the San Antonio Symphony's traditional Holiday Pops concert Friday night served in large part as a tribute to youngsters.

The program for this weekend's Pops concert had long been planned, and nothing was said from the stage about last week's loss of children in Connecticut, but the concert certainly took on extra meaning for the nearly full house at the Majestic Theatre of about 2,200.

The children first entered by marching down the aisles to the orchestra's rendition of “March of the Toys” from “Babes in Toyland.”

Once on stage, angelic voices were featured in “Evening Prayer” from the Humperdinck opera, “Hansel and Gretel.” The song is a wish for protection.

Fitting into the same theme of children, the orchestra ended the program's first half with a jazzy, syncopated rendition of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” The medley included the lovely melody, “Christmastime is Here.”

The Children's Chorus was lively in two songs from the John Williams score for the movie, “Home Alone.”

The most touching moment of the evening came, though, when the children, in colorful scarves and mittens, returned to the aisles to join an audience sing-along of all three verses of “Silent Night,” The verse, “Sleep in heavenly peace,” carried extra emotion.

The concert was enhanced by two local talents, tenor Eric Schmidt, who sang a medley, and Cristal Smith, who delivered a stunning clap-along version of “Go Tell It on the Mountain.”

Conductor Akiko Fujimoto ably led the stage forces, appearing in the second half wearing a Santa's helper costume. The orchestra was in top form, sounding as smooth and vibrant as Bing Crosby's voice.

Santa Claus came, too, as one of several surprises that kept the concert moving.

The Holiday Pops usually occurs earlier in December, but this year the first of the two weekend concerts came only three days before Christmas Eve, another reason why the concert Friday night resonated strongly.